Baunach was charged with one count of unlawful use of electronic means originating or received within the Commonwealth to induce a minor to engage in sex, a Class D felony, and one count of attempted use of a minor under 16 in a sexual performance, a Class C felony.

Baunach was arrested after seeking sex with a minor online and after law enforcement executed a search warrant at his home in Jefferson County. He is currently lodged in the Louisville Metro Corrections.

The Jeffersontown Police Department assisted Beshear’s office in the arrest.

Seven years ago, Baunach was arrested on a first-degree sodomy charge and several counts of first-degree sexual abuse in Nelson County, but was ultimately found not guilty by a jury.

“I appreciate the work of our cyber investigators and the team at the Jefferson County Police Department,” Beshear said. “Removing from the streets those who seek to exploit and abuse our children is a top priority for my office, and for law enforcement agencies throughout the Commonwealth.”

The work of the Department of Criminal Investigations, Cyber Crimes Unit in the Kentucky Office of the Attorney General, is part of Beshear’s core mission to keep sexual predators away from Kentucky’s families and children.

Over the past two years, the number of arrests, indictments and convictions by Beshear’s cyber investigators has reached historic levels, totaling more than 145.

Beshear said that Kentuckians have a moral and legal duty to report any instance of child abuse to local law enforcement or to Kentucky’s Child Abuse hotline at 877-597-2331 or 877-KYSAFE1.